A Year Without Rain
by Spanish Sunrise
Summary: Annie Haggerty's thoughts when she sees her husband Robert marching triumphantly through the streets of Boston. Just a little song-fic one-shot to show how much Annie loved Robert.


Ha! One-shots song-fics, my new thing.

My little 'Christmas Present' to my dear readers and reviewers.

This song has been stuck in my head for ever, and it was killing my brain, haunting until I wrote it down. I hate it when an idea pops into my head and it won't leave me alone, rofl.

Remember that part in the movie when the 54th marches triumphantly through Boston and everbody's cheering? Well I thought it would be cool if his wife was there and describe her emotions and how much she misses seeing him after such a long time apart from each other. I thought the lyrics of this song would fit nicely.

*Warning* May not be historically accurate. :) Sorry.

Reveiw please.

* * *

_Oooh Oooh Ooooooohhhhhhh Ohhhhh_

Annie Haggerty Shaw gasped as her Irish maid, Bridgett, laced her corset behind her, tighter and tighter. Annie was in a hurry to get ready, she would die if she was late. The horrible white cage that her body was forced into crushed her lungs; but the benefit of it was a tiny waist. Men loved small waists and frail women, and she wanted to look her best for _him_. Her young husband had left months ago, off to commandeer an entire regiment! Words can not describe how proud it made the newlywed wife. She walked through the streets with her chin up, shoulders back, and head high, as people whispered about her, recognizing her as the wife of the youngest Union colonel.

It was true, Robert was criticized by Northern cowards. It made Annie angry how they would dare critique Robert, but nevertheless the very mention of his name made her heart swell and her ear yearn to listen in. It had been so long since she had last seen him. Annie did not know it was possible to miss someone as much as she missed Robert. Some nights it was unbearable. She would clutch his thick letters with his elegant script close to her heart, crying into the satin covering of her pillow, praying hard that no misfortune should befall on him.

Whenever he was gone, it felt as if he took the air with him when he left, leaving her to suffocate until he brought it back to her. Without his love it was as if the oceans ran dry and she was thrown into a desert to wait for him in the heat, years and years without rain, thousands and thousands of days. It had been only a few months, but it felt like a few millenniums. Her 'jail' sentence had finally come to an end. She would see him today, if only just a tiny glimpse.

"Hurry Bridgett, please." Annie ordered, clinging to the bedpost as Bridgett tied the lace stays together.

"Yes ma'am." The Irish maid replied in her hushed, accented voice. Bridgett picked up a large, poofy green and white dress that was draped over the back of a chair. Annie turned to face her, lifting her arms up to the sky as Bridgett lowered the dress on her. Annie rushed to peer at the looking glass of her vanity.

Noticing her frown, Bridgett approached from behind her."It looks beautiful, miss." She was quick to correct herself."Ma'am." Since young Annie was already married to a dashing, handsome stranger.

"Oh, Bridgett." Annie moaned helplessly, biting her lips and pinching her upper cheeks to make the blood flow, blushing her pale complexion to a pleasant shade of crimson. From behind her, Bridgett grabbed a thickly bristled metal brush and ran it through Annie's soft, chocolate hair.

_Can you feel me_  
_When I think about you_  
_With every breath I take_  
_Every minute_  
_No matter what I do_  
_My world is an empty place_

Bridgett's chubby mother, the head-maid Gertrude, rushed into her room, gasping for air. The gray-haired women with calloused hands and a starched white apron, leaned against the wall of Annie's room, her scratchy brown dress a shocking contrast with the pale pink of Annie's flower print wall paper. She took one more breath, before up-righting herself, her back straight and her kind smile making her wise green eyes crinkle at the corners, making the wrinkled crows feet appear deeper. Bridgett rushed to her mother, putting an arm around her to support her mama up.

"Mrs. Shaw has arrived, ma'am." She informed Annie, clutching at her sore side.

Two emotions seared through Annie. Sarah Shaw was the mother of her beloved Robert. The closest link to the original. Whenever she was with her, she would gaze into those endless blue eyes, so much like Robert's, and be reminded of sweet memories of her beloved husband. The other emotion was sharper, darker, as Annie was no fool, and even a blind man would be able to see the gaze of strong dislike her stepmother used whenever she looked upon Annie.

Robert had told her once, extremely hesitant to say so, that his mother was sore at Annie because she thought a wife would take Robert away from her. That is why he was married too late, at age twenty-three, when most men married at eighteen, it was all because his mother avoided any Robert-female interaction like one would avoid the plague.

_Like I've been wonderin the desert_  
_For a thousand days ( Ohhh )_  
_Don't know if it's a mirage_  
_But I always see your faaaaaaace, baby_

"I certainly hope we will no be late, I should hate to miss a single moment." Sarah Sturgis Shaw told Anne when they were in the carriage, the hidden words in her speech were obvious to Annie. _'Thanks to you, we may be late.'_Annie forced a smile at her serious mother in law, sitting up straight and proper, a permanent mask of disapproval etched into her raised eyebrows whenever her gaze fell on Annie.

Sarah Shaw was a wonderful person, genorous, and brave, just like her son Robert. Her only problem was that she refused to show that side to poor Annie. But Annie did not care. She could endure this awkward ride and snippy conversation as long as she knew that in less than an hour she would she her precious Robert.

When Robert was gone, so was her soul, leaving just the empty shell of her fragile heart, so vulnerable and easy to break. He was going to be back soon, the one man she loved more than life itself. A deep man with wisdom beyond his years. The only man who actually listened and valued her opinions, instead of dismissing them as silly girlish notions.

_I'm missing you so much_  
_Can't help it, I'm in love_  
_A day without you is like a year without rain_  
_I need you by my side_  
_Don't know how I'll survive_  
_A day without you is like a year without raaaaaain_  
_Oooohhhhhhh, Wooaaah wooaah wooaah_

"An entire regiment of negro men?" One of the lovely belle's of Boston high-society circle fluttered her lacy fan as well as her eyelashes to every male that walked within a quarter mile of her."Ghastly!"

"What is it, Abagail? You were hoping for a white private to fancy you?" The sister of the wavy fan teased her, sending the small circle of ladies into a loud giggle fit, leaving Abigail to blush.

Annie's cheeks hurt from the fake smiles she was forced to return, but she refused to muster a pathetic giggle. After Sarah had picked her up, they rode to the Shaw Mansion, where...Annie thought with a smile...Robert grew up. So far the day has been torturous, the air was hot, the sun beamed down freckling exposed skin above the dress's neckline, and her corset squeezed her ribs together making it difficult to breath.

Standing in this circle of fake friends, in Annie's opinion, was the worst. They were ignorant and selfish. Annie doubted that they had ever even seen a book let alone opened one, God forbid they should actually learn something. Their main hobbies were how to catch a husband, and trying to discover what wedding nights were for. Anne had blushed when they asked her but refused to tell them of the unspeakable idea.

Annie tried to tune out there chatter and listen in to the men's drawl, since the Shaw's ballroom was crowded, people were packed closely together, giving Annie the advantage. The old men, including Robert's father, spoke of politics which normally would have fascinated Annie to no ends, but today she was just anxious to hear more news about Robert's arrival.

_The stars are burning_  
_I hear your voice in my mind ( Voice In My Mind )_  
_Can't you hear me calling_  
_My heart is yearning_  
_Like the ocean that's running dry_  
_Catch me I'm falling_

Robert's sister, the beautiful, blonde, opinionated viper Susannah chattered happily all the way up to the balcony, clutching Annie's hand in her own. Annie had always envied Susannah. Susannah was a young woman of seventeen, a woman of rare grace and beauty, she was the type of person who could fall flat on their face and make it look elegant.

Annie was not like Susannah, she was completely different. But she valued the life in Susannah's eyes and the spring in her step that never seemed to die out, even in this cold and brutal war, Susannah acted like she had not a care in the world. Susanna was Annie's best friend, and even more dearer to her now, for she was the one that had introduced her to Robert on that faithful, sunny day.

_It's like the ground is crumbling underneath my feet_  
_Won't you save me_

Annie reminisced back about a year, when she was invited to Susannah's birthday party. It was all for women, and with Susannah's mother and numerous sisters the loud, girlish conversations that they held at the tea table would have bored a man to death. Annie remembered clearly what he was wearing that day,a white shirt and blue vest that brought out his eyes even more. La Couer de La Mer is the words Annie would use to describe those window-like eyes, so wise and icy shade of blue it was as if she was staring out across the ocean. Robert had decided not to leave to the political meeting wit his father, instead he had staid behind planning to spend his entire day cooped up in the enormous dusty cavern of the Shaw library.

Annie had excused herself from the tea table to step outside for a breath of fresh spring air. Annie was not aware of how long she had been standing there, trying to breath deeply despite her despicable corset, wrapping her laced white shawl tighter about her shoulders, fanning herself to get the air flow going.

She remembered dropping that silly fan.

Annie also remembered dreading to have to pick it up, it was excruciatingly painful to do simple tasks like bending down and picking something up, but in a tightly laced corset that was nearly impossible. Annoyed, Annie had bitten her lip to avoid grumbling out loud, even though no one was there, or so she thought, when a masculine hand reached out and retrieved the fan for her.

_There's gonna be a monsoon_  
_When you get back to me_  
_Ohhhh baabyyyy_

Annie had never believed in the silly, ridiculous notion of love at first sight. But when she saw that face...those intoxicating eyes...she had to struggle to stifle a gasp. She never knew that it was possible that something so beautiful could exist. She remembered Susannah mentioning having a brother, who had even fought at Antietam, but she had never met him. He gave her a bashful smile, chewing on his lower lip.

His thick, soft looking brown hair reminded of warm, sunny days on the Mississsippi River. When he cocked his head slowly to the right, the slightly tousled hair would fall into his eyes, and he released a hand that was clasped behind his back to remove the stray hair. Though he did not say anything, as he stood there his hand outstretched, offering her fan; he smiled, and it caused one of the warmest emotions that Annie had ever felt, that any human being even had a right to.

"I believe this is yours." He spoke softly, his voice detailed, educated. Annie could only nod like a fool, her gloved hand reaching out to take back the white-lace fan, her fingers accidentally touched his palm, and she felt electricity in her veins despite the silk glove between them that served as a barrier against their skin to skin contact.

Susannah had appeared out of nowhere at that moment, Annie remembered with a chuckle, ready to introduce the two to a good romance.

_I'm missing you so much_  
_Can't help it, I'm in love (love)_  
_A day without you is like a year without rain_  
_I need you by my side (side)_  
_Don't know how I will survive_  
_A day without you is like a year without raaaaaain_  
_Ohohouh, Wooaaah wooaah wooaah_

"Annie! Annie!" Susannah shouted, pulling on the billowing lace sleeve of Annie's dress, pulling the lovesick young bride out of her world of memories."Look! Here they come!"

Indeed it was so. Annie leaned far out over the balcony, ignoring the disapproving looks she received from neighbors as she elbowed her way to the front. The crowd had exploded in cheers, waving their Union colors high, the blue of the star spangled flags blending in with the navy uniforms of the marching colored soldiers.

The entire block had been preparing for three days, setting up podiums, hanging red white and blue banners from balconies, distributing small flags, gathering Union color confetti to release into the air. A small orchestra of young boys stood atop a podium, playing the 'Star Spangled Banner' and a 'Victory March' as the first of the regiment marched triumphantly down the street, seeming to suppress grins.

_(Thunder Crashes)_

_So let this drought come to an end_  
_And may this desert flower again_  
_I'm so glad you found me_  
_Stick around me_  
_Baby, baby, baby Ooooh_  
_It's a world of wonder_  
_With you in my life_  
_So hurry baby don't waste no more time_  
_I need you here_  
_I cannot explian_  
_The day without you_  
_It's like a year without raaaaain_

"Cabot! I see Cabot!" Susannah shouted over the cheering, just loud enough for only Annie to hear. Annie smiled at her, noticing Forbes sitting tall and strong upon his brown horse, the gold buttons of his navy dress suit gleaming in the sun, much like the flecks of gold in his blonde hair. "I see Cabot." She heard Susannah whisper, clutching at her heart.

Forbes, as if aware that someone was watching, ripped his eyes away from the front, turning his head to look in their direction. His eyes locked with Susannah's and Annie could have sworn the world shifted. It was beautiful, he gave her one of his real smiles, instead of his usual annoyed smirks, and Annie reached for Susannah's arm to save her from falling off the balcony and running to him.

Annie bit her lip, looking further down for her officers, just like the African American women stood together, biting their lips, each woman searching for her beloved soldier. But where was Annie's soldier? Where was her gentle, soft spoken officer? Susannah prodded her arm, forcing Annie to look at her. Giving her an assuring smile, Susannah beckoned with her head to the right, and Annie saw him.

She cursed herself for missing him the first time.

_Ooooohhh_

He sat upon his powerful, noble steed Glory, the brown of his mane in sync with Robert's thick brown hair, partially hidden by the intricate colonel kepi, the sun gleaming on the black bill that partially covered his perfect blue eyes. So unlike Annie's common brown ones, so intense a shade of blue they were almost violet, and seeing them for the first time in a long time, it was like rain after a long decade of drought.

Good Heavens she could hear his voice!

"Eyes! Right!" He ordered, gesturing with his silver saber as the brilliant sun glinted magically on it's mirrored blade.

_I'm missing you so much (much)_  
_Can't help it, I'm in love_  
_A day without you is like a year without rain_  
_I need you by my side (side)_  
_Don't know how I'll survive_  
_A day without you is like a year without rain_  
_Ohhohoh, Woooaaahh woaahh_  
_Ooohh, Ooooooooouuhh_

When his powerful eyes full of strength and courage locked on to her own needy, broken ones, Annie drank every centimeter of him in, like a lost woman wandering the desert had finally found an oasis. Her frozen heart was beating again, and she felt like she could finally breathe, the oxygen restored in her lungs, removing the pain it took to inhale and exhale meaninglessly. He was finally here, even if only for a moment.

Annie had to clutch on to the railing of the balcony hard, to keep control of herself. The Lord above knew how much she wanted to hop over the railing like a little boy and running towards Robert. She struggled to keep her composure as she looked into his eyes, his own not averting away from hers. She noticed her vision blur and felt her brown eyes tingle as she was about to cry.

Robert looked alarmed when he noticed her wipe at her eyes with the back of her hand. 'No, please don't.' He mouthed to her, his lips forming a kiss at the end. She gave him her most bravest smile, nodding repeatedly like a headless school girl. He gave her a small smile, before lifting his sabor again.

"Eyes front!" He ordered, as the men snapped their necks back forward. Robert did also, turning away from her, riding forward without another look back. Yes, Annie loved him. Yes, she was enormously proud. And yes, as he was leaving her, she was sentenced to another year without rain.


End file.
